Effective policing

PUNJAB's Police Chief Shaukat Javed has said that a plan to make the department more effective is being chalked out. Speaking at The Nation Forum, his words that some amendments were being made in the Police Order 2002, aimed at making the service more useful, are welcome. He highlighted the importance of having unity of command with an officer assigned with the duties of both operation and investigation simultaneously. One wishes him Godspeed. However since the proof of the pudding is in the eating it remains to be seen how that plan would work out. What is of significance is the need to create a system of checks and balances whereby there is little room for corruption. Removing the watchdog of magistracy, the Police Order 2002 had given extensive powers to police officers that proved counterproductive. The present endeavour must see to it that such loopholes are done away with. Another element that should be the hallmark of the policy being devised is to make the department more people-friendly.